Sprinkler spray head



Sept. 4; 1956 A. SWAN SPRINKLER SPRAY HEAD Filed Aug. 17, 1954 INVENTOR.

A. SWAN m'wx & 161w):

HAROLD United Sens P 2,761,738 SPRINKLER SPRAY HEAD Harold A. Swan, Coronado, Calif. Application August 17,1954, 459,307

6 Claims. oi. 299-426) The present invention relates generallyto water sprinklers and more particularly to a sprinkler head for attachment to awater hose. r l r The primary object of this invention is to provide a sprinkler head which may be fitted to a conventional hose with the usual terminal fittings and which distributes the water in small droplets rather than a fine spray, the droplets being more efiicient for saturation and penetration of the ground than a spray, mally blown away by even a very light wind.

Another object of this invention is to provide a' sprinkler head in which the rotoris surrounded by a shroud ring to concentrate the water in a conical stream and prevent radial dispersion of large, unbroken drops of water from the rot-or vane tips.

Another object of this invent-ion is to provide a sprinkler head which may be constructed as an actual hose end fitting, and having a rotor bearingwhich is formed integrally with the main portion of'the fitting to constitute a rigid structure and reduce the number of partsrequired to complete the assembly. j r

Another object of this invention is to provide a sprinkler head in which the rotor vanes are apertured to increase the agitation of the water.

much of which is norf frame 20 defines a substantially open bore 26 equal in Patented Sept. 4,1956

'ice

frame constituting a plurality of pillars 22 joined at their lower ends by a hub portion 24. The mounting diameter to and coextensive with the nozzle outlet 18.

Protruding from the hub portion 24 toward the nozzle outlet 18 is a central bearing sleeve 28 having an axial bore 31}.

. The barrel 10, mounting frame 20 and bearing sleeve H maybe manufactured separately and assembled in a suitable manner if so desired.

Rotatably mounted in .the bore is a shaft 32 having a rotor 34 fixed to one end thereof, the other end of said shaft being retained by a thrust Washer 36 soldered, brazed, or otherwise secured to the shaft and bearing against the hub portion 24. The rotor 34 comprises a boss 38 having thereon a plurality of radially extending vanes 40, each of said vanes having an aperture 42 therethrough approximately normal to the surface of the vane.

=The rotor 34 is surrounded by a peripheral shroud ring 44 fixed to the outer ends of the vanes 40, or constructed integrally therewith, said shroud ring being concentric:

with and freely rotatable in the nozzle outlet 18.

The sprinkler head is screwed onto a conventional hose end connector 14, as shown in Fig. 3, and sealed by a.

kler head which is adapted for fabrication from many different materials, so that the choiceofjm-aterial canbe according to the dictates of availability and price con siderations, the exact sizes and proportions being 'ma-tters easily determined to suit particularconditions and needs.

Finally, it is an object to provide a sprinkler head of the aforementioned character which is simple and convenient to operate, and which will give generally eificient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed 'out in the claims and illustrated in the drawing which forms a material part of this disclosure and wherein similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the views of the drawing, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of the sprinkler head.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and showing the end portion of a hose attached thereto.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the sprinkler head comprises a barrel 10, generally similar in size and outward appearance to a conventional hose end fitting, and having an internally threaded portion 12 to screw onto a hose end connector 14, as shown in Fig. 3. The barrel 10 has a substantially flat upper end plate 16 in which is a central nozzle outlet 18. Extending inwardly suitable. gasket or washer 46 against the end of said end. connector. The hose end connector 14 is, of course, in-- stalled in the end of a hose such as a garden hose, fire: hose, or the like, indicated fragmentarily at 48.

When water flows through the hose 48 it passes be tween the pillars 22 into the open bore 26 and strikes the: rotor 34, thus spinning the rotor and emerging from the: nozzle outlet 18 in a generally conical pattern of fine; droplets. A portion of the water passes through the:

apertures 42, the sudden change in direction and subsequent agitation tending to break up the water into very fine droplets. The vanes 40 may each have a plurality of apertures. It has been found that the more numerous the apertures 42 the smaller the water droplets produced.

Theshroud ring 44 prevents the water from being thrown radially from the vanes 40 and striking the stationary Wall of the nozzle outlet 18. Were it not for. the

shroud ring 44, such action, after the water is broken up into fine droplets by the rotor 34, would allow a portion 1 of the water to collect on the wall of the nozzle outlet 18 and emerge as a thin tubular sheet from the annular wall'of the outlet and to interfere with the water droplets issuing from the rotor. The shroud ring 44 retains all of the water within the confines of the rotor 34 and ensures that the water is entirely broken up into droplets.

The droplets of water have more wetting action and. penetrate the ground more efiiciently than a fine spray, and are not as readily blown away by wind as is the fine. mist produced by many types of sprinklers.

The substantial length of the bearing sleeve 28 provides ample support for the rotor shaft 32 and ensures true running of the rotor with little or no vibration, thus. decreasing wear and prolonging the useful life of the sprin-- kler head. it should be noted that the sprinkler head may be constructed with a shorter bearing sleeve 28 than that shown in the drawing without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. in such an instance, ample additional support is provided by the shroud ring 44 rotating in the nozzle outlet 18 to stabilize the rotor.

The sprinkler head as described is ideally suited for lawn and garden irrigation and may also be used as a shower head. A particularly useful function of the sprinkler head is in conjunction with a fire hose, it being well known that water droplets are more effective and less damaging than a constant stream of water when used on certain types of fires. The ruggedly constructed bearing and rotor are especially adaptable to fire hoses or other high pressure fluid systems.

The operation of. this invention will be clearly comprehended from a consideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the drawing and the above recited objects. It will be obvious that all said objects are amply achieved by this invention.

Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention and that the specification and drawing are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A sprinkler head for attachment to a hose having a hose end connector, comprising a barrel portion having means for securement to a hose end connector, said barrel portion having a nozzle outlet in one end thereof, a fixed frame element within said barrel portion, a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame element and extending axially of said barrel portion, a vaned rotor within the confines of said outlet and fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith, said rotor including a shroud ring fixed to and surrounding the remaining structure of said rotor, said shaft having a thrust bearing connection with the upstream end of said frame, whereby the downstream end of said rotor is completely open and unobstructed.

2. A sprinkler head-for attachment to a hose having a hose end connector, comprising a barrel portion having means for securement to a hose end connectonsaid bar rel portion having a nozzle outlet in one end thereof, a fixed frame element unitary with said barrel portion and extending axially therein, an elongated bearing sleeve unitary with said frame element and axially disposed therein, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bearing sleeve, and a rotor within the confinesof said outlet and having vanes fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith, said shaft having a thrust bearing connection with the upstream end of said frame, whereby the downstream end of said rotor is completely open and unobstructed.

3. A sprinkler head for attachment to a hose having.

a hose end connector, comprising a barrel portion having means for securement to a hose end connector, saidbarrel portion having a nozzle outlet in one end, a fixed frame element within said barrel portion, a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame element and extending axially of said barrel portion, a vaned rotor within the confines of said outlet and fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith, the vanes of said rotor having apertures therein, saidv shaft having a thrust bearing connection with the upstream end of said frame, whereby the downstream end of said rotor is completely open and"unobstructed.

4. A sprinkler head for attachment to a hose having a hose end connector, comprising a barrel portion having means for securement to a hose end connector, a fixed frame element unitary with said barrel portion and extending axially inwardly thereof, an elongated bearing sleeve unitary with said'frame-element and axially disposed therein, a, shaft rotatably mounted in said bearing sleeve, a vaned rotor fixed to said shaft, and a shroud ring fixed to and suirounding said'rotor, said rotor and shroud ring being, freelyv rotatable in said nozzle, said shaft having a thrust bearing connection with the upstream end of said; frame, whereby the downstream end of said rotor is completely open and unobstructed.

5. A sprinkler head for attachment to a hose having a hose end connector,vcomprising a barrel portion having means for, securementato. a. hose end; connector, said barrel portionv having, a. nozzle outlet in one end thereof, a

fixed frame element unitary with said barrel portion and extending axially inwardly thereof, an elongated bearing sleeve unitary with said. frame element and axially disposed, therein, a. shaft, rotatably mounted in said bearing sleeve, 2. vaned roto rfixed to said shaft, the vanes of said rotor having, apertures. therein substantially normal to the surface ofeach, blade, and a' shroud ring fixed to and surroundingsaidrotor, said rotor and shroud ring being freely rotatable in said nozzle outlet, said shaft having a thrustbearing connection with the upstream end of said plate ringsecnred to the. outer ends of said vanes, said thrust bearing. means comprising a frame considerably smaller than said barrel in. cross-section and fixed relative, to said barrel anddisposed. axially thereof, said frame having, anelongatedsleeve. bearing extending longitudi nally of the frame a shaft having a, thrust bearing connection withsaidsleeve bearing, and said rotor being fixed to the downstream end of said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED: STATES PATENTS Webb Sept. 27, 1910 Unger Apr. 25, 1950 

